As the highly anticipated 43rd playing of the Ryder Cup approaches, to be played over the visually stunning, wildly imaginative and (especially if there’s a fair amount of wind) testing Straits Course at Whistling Straits in Haven, Wis., there may be no one more qualified to share insights and thoughts on the course and the upcoming competition than Mark the Caddie (full name withheld to protect the mystery of his ever-growing Twitter @caddietales fan popularity). Mark joins host Mitch Laurance and co-producer Kris McEwen (Darin Bunch grinding away on his growing media-consulting empire) for a lively, fun and incredibly informative edition of Talking GolfGetaways.

Talking GolfGetaways: Your Golf Getaways Podcast

179: Digging deep into Whistling Straits with Mark the Caddie

Mitch Laurance and producer Kris McEwen (Darin Bunch being on assignment) welcome Dr. Bern Bernacki, President of the Golf Heritage Society, for a second visit to the show. Bernacki offers a wealth of knowledge not only about the Society’s upcoming 50th Anniversary National Convention but about classic golf courses around the country that are open for public play.

178: Dive into golf history and classic courses with Dr. Bern Bernacki

177: Mitch Talks Sequoyah National

176: Mitch, Darin, and Kris Get Caught-Up On Their Latest Golf Travels

On this episode of Talking GolfGetaways, hosts Mitch Laurance and Darin Bunch and Producer Kris McEwen talk to Duane Horton, President of McLemore and of Scenic Land Company, its developer, to get the behind-the-scenes details of what went into McLemore’s success.

175: The McLemore Mixdown: Talking golf in the sky in Georgia

For the third time on Talking GolfGetaways, hosts Mitch Laurance and Darin Bunch and Producer Kris McEwen have that opportunity, as author Tom Coyne joins the trio again (go to Episodes 129/130 for earlier podcasts) to discuss his newly-launched, highly-anticipated “A Course Called America”, following his previous best sellers “A Course Called Ireland” and “A Course Called Scotland”, both of which are must-reads for the passionate, traveling golfer. In this engaging episode, Tom (we can call him Tom here due to his valued friendship) offers insights and details on his latest journey, a monumental undertaking that covered “50 States and Five Thousand Fairways”.

174: Tom Coyne Talks A Course Called America

In the eyes of many golfers, Tom Coyne has seen it all. Or at least most of it. As the author of the best-selling “A Course Called” series, Coyne has lugged his clubs throughout Ireland and Scotland in pursuit of the game’s secrets. And now he’s working on the mind-boggling cross-country itinerary for his latest book, “A Course Called America,” which “Talking GolfGetaways” hosts Mitch Laurance and Darin Bunch discussed with him in Episode 129. Coyne returned to the podcast in Episode 130 so he can tackle our Emergency 9 questionnaire, highlighting his favorite courses, resorts and destinations while discussing lessons learned through his golf travels.

173: Ireland, Scotland, haggis and ball-stampers make up author Tom Coyne’s Emergency 9

172: Darin, Mitch, and Kris Talk French Lick Resort

Guest Ben Grehan joins co-host Mitch Laurance (going it solo while Darin Bunch travels cross-country) and producer Kris McEwen for a wide-ranging discussion on the benefits (and occasional pitfalls) of social media, the success of Twitter’s #GolfChat forum, Ben’s recent blog concerning a viral journey gone haywire in New Hampshire, the upcoming Greaver Cup III in Myrtle Beach, and hitting practice balls off the balcony of Saddam Hussein’s palace.

171: Getting social about golf travel with Ben Grehan and Kris McEwen

Hosts Mitch Laurance and Darin Bunch welcome Malcolm Scovil, founder of the Imagine Golf app, to discuss his early path from North Carolina to Scotland to San Francisco en route to helping all of us become better golfers through the power of the mind.

169: Malcolm Scovil talks Old Course and reimagining the mental side of golf and life.

Social-media personality and all-around good guy Durel Billy, known as “Billy Bogey” talks Pacific Northwest golf and his love for the purity of the game.

168: Durel ‘Billy Bogey’ brings passion, history to the game

Mexican golf-course designer Águstin Pizá joins the “Talking GolfGetaways” team for a fun, wide-ranging conversation about the architect’s origins, working for big names in the business, and rethinking golf projects both now and for the future.

167: Águstin Pizá discusses creativity behind course design old and new

Golf course designer (and friend of the podcast) Dan Hixson returns to “Talking GolfGetaways” to discuss his newest project opening this summer in Roseburg, Oregon — and why he and co-host Darin Bunch are still in search of a name. Photo courtesy Dan Hixson

166: Finding a name for Dan Hixson’s golf mine field

Golf course designer Keith Rhebb, whose fingerprints are on some of the game’s biggest projects, joins the podcast to discuss everything from Cape Breton Island to Forest Dunes to the forthcoming Cabot Saint Lucia.You can follow Keith on Instagram and Twitter @KeithRhebb.Photo courtesy Keith Rhebb.

165: Keith Rhebb talks design, shaping and Cabot Saint Lucia

“Talking GolfGetaways” co-hosts Mitch Laurance and Darin Bunch welcome a new member of the team — Kris McEwen — who will pull double duty in 2021 as both producer of our podcast in addition to hosting his successful “Golf Origin Stories” podcast.

Ep. 164: New Producer Kris McEwen talks his own Golf Origin Stories

Talking Golf Getaways is a five-days-a-week podcast focusing on golf travel, with hosts Darin Bunch and Mitch Laurance connecting with golf journalists, architects and global golf travelers to talk about their favorite destinations and experiences.